Yours, Cliff
by Apples Parachute
Summary: Ever wondered where Cliff ran off to after not giving him the job at the winery? He couldn't just leave the town without a reason. Find out why he left a certain disheartened blonde in Mineral Town. Oneshot. Rewritten and formerly entitled Cliff's Letter.


**Disclaimer:** I do not, in any way, own Harvest Moon.

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><p>There he was again, looking up at the church's altar, lost in his own cluster of thoughts. Sometimes, I just wondered what was going up in that brown hair covered head. I wanted to clearly hear and take in every single deep thought I could vaguely see through those bluish stormy eyes. I wanted to know every worries circling his mind and assure him I'd be there for him. If only he was a bit more forthright to voice out his thoughts. Knowing Cliff, he had always been that shy and timid person; someone who blushed a deep shade of red at an accidental touch. He was a person who just simply chuckles at you jokily when you just made a complete fool out of yourself. He was too calm; too soft spoken. And to be honest, it didn't make me want him less. If anything, it made me want him even more.<p>

He turned to his side to look at me, catching me staring at him. And for some reason I could definitely identify, my heart seemed to flutter.

"What?" he smiled, his voice echoing the empty establishment.

I wouldn't mind seeing more of that smile every day.

I shook my head, chuckling. "It's nothing," I lied. I shifted my gaze to the view he seemed to find so amusing that he managed to stare at for hours _everyday_. I could not see anything special about it; it's just a big sculpture of a smiling Harvest Goddess with several sprites on her foot, and some that seem to be climbing up on her happily.

He had the weirdest interests. Too weird that it made his actions and the expressions on his face so unpredictable. And it never failed to amuse me.

"Are you going to the fireworks festival with Kai?" I heard him ask, making all my recent thoughts evaporate.

Why is he asking me this? Does he plan on taking me out to the festival? I fought back myself to shake due to the giddiness I was feeling inside.

"I.. Uh.." I murmured unintelligently, not really able to think straight.

" 'Cause he's been bugging me every night at the Inn, he said you haven't answered to him yet," his eyes somewhat closing as he smiled. I felt like all the jolt of electricity present in my body moments ago had all just instantly died down. _So Cliff isn't planning to ask me_, I thought, disappointed. "He also pointed out how you are my best friend, that he expects me to get at least something out of you," he continued.

"Oh. Well, I still haven't decided." I said a little flatly. "I'm… I'm kind of still waiting for someone else," I muttered, suddenly finding the floor very nice to look at. I could feel the all too familiar heat rising onto my face.

"Ah. I see," his eyebrows slightly compressing together in curiosity, his head tilted to look at me. "Who?"

My heart stopped. Am I finally going to reveal the feelings I have been hiding for so long from my best friend right now? He's sitting there, looking at me, waiting for my response. Every passing second seemed to put more pressure on me. My body tensed. I gulped nervously. _Cliff, why are you doing this? _Oh Goddess, I think I need to pee.

"Umm… You," I mumbled inaudibly, my face giving off its darkest shade of red. I looked at an opposite direction. Why has it suddenly felt like I was the _Cliff_ at the moment? I usually wasn't the one in this awkward position.

"Sorry, who?" he asked once again, nearing his ear to my mouth to hear me this time. I tensed up even more at the closeness. I could even smell a light hint of cologne he was wearing. I leaned away as much as I could, but finding the pews hindering my intention. Oh Harvest Goddess, I could really use some of your magic to make the ground swallow me right now.

I was pretty sure that it was the nerviness I was feeling that made me do it…

"Rick," I answered without even thinking.

Wait, what? _Where did that come from?_

"Ohhhh…" his raised both of his eyebrows in understanding, nodding slowly. "I see, I see. Well, that's a bummer for Kai— his ultimate crush's heart being captured by his archenemy." He chuckled and shifted his gaze from me back to the sculpture.

I studied my shoes, disappointed at how my mouth couldn't cooperate with my brain during the most significant moments.

How could he be so dumb? No, I don't like Rick.

It is _you_ I like.

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><p>I put on the last piece of accessory that I thought would complete my outfit. I looked at my mirror, pleased with the image it offered me back. It was already 6:10 and Rick hasn't arrived at my farm to pick me up yet for the festival. A certain long haired church boy managed to set us up, telling me that he's just done me a big favor, and I'm going to be really happy about it.<p>

I sighed. Yeah, I'm undoubtedly happy right now.

I suddenly heard a soft knock on my door.

"Hi Claire, this is for you," Rick stood at my door, holding out a bouquet of flowers; his face flushing. "I… Umm… that dress is… You are…" He stuttered. I stood there in front of him, my face tilted at the side, somewhat amused at his incapability of forming a sentence. I waited for a few seconds, laughing a little in my head. And I thought Cliff lacked social skills. He cleared his throat and looked at me, obviously looking like he's finally found the right words.

"You look really beautiful tonight, Claire. I'm ready to leave when you are," he offered his arm and I took it.

The beach was occupied by the young adults of the town, each having a pair, hanging in different spaces. Kai ended up taking Popuri, and to my relief, he didn't look quite wretched at my rejection. In fact, I could tell he was really happy, judging by that smug look he was giving to Popuri. I saw Gray awkwardly sitting on a striped towel with the town librarian, each of both looking at opposite direction. Karen was wrapping her arm quite possessively at the back of a man from Forget-Me-Not Valley named Jack, who was doing the same to her. Trent and Elli were standing by the shore in their unusual casual outfits, admiring the view of the sky.

I glanced around looking for a distinctive brown head. I paused as I found my target.

Ann had managed to ask Cliff to the festival just after that church incident. They were sitting there in the middle of the beach gazing up at the stars, chatting and smiling at each other.

I suddenly felt like each of my internal organs went into knots. I clenched my teeth tightly, fighting back the urge to cry on the spot. Rick was with me, and it would be so rude and disrespectful for me to do that.

"Rick, let's take the edge of the pier to sit on," I whispered and led him with our arms still hooked to each other.

There came a large boom from a distant; I looked up at the sky and let the luminous colors shade my face. The chatting and giggling surrounding the beach all turned to gasps of awe. The fireworks had started.

I leaned on to Rick's shoulder so I could watch and admire the fireworks effortlessly. Minutes passed in that position. It was really comfortable, to be honest.

"Awwww," I heard from a small crowd. I turned to see what it was and saw Karen and Jack in an intimate lip-lock.

I tried to look over at Cliff to see how they were doing. But just when I laid my eyes to their spot, I found out that he was already looking at me. I held his gaze for a few more seconds; both of us consistent with our facial expression—perfectly still and emotionless, as if we were lost in thoughts.

I decided to break it as it was too disrespectful for both of our partners for the night—looking at someone else's date. But just when I turned my face back at the sky, I heard Rick sigh.

"I know you like him," he said, slightly forcing a smile, looking at our feet dangling at the edge of the pier.

"What?"

"Come on Claire, no need to deny it. I've noticed a long time ago. I just thought that you guys are too close that I was certain one of you would fall for the other soon," he wetted his lips with his tongue, looking at a distant, as he continued. "That is also why I got really shocked when Cliff asked me to take you out to this festival. I actually kind of hoped that maybe my observation of you two was false. It made me hope and feel better that maybe someone actually thinks that I'm interesting. But then… after that look that you shared just a few moments ago just proved me wrong," he swallowed a lump on his throat; his jaw clenching. He obviously looked hurt.

I felt so guilty. This was supposed to be a great night for the two of us. We were supposed to enjoy it. He had been a real gentleman to me all night, and I decided to return it by wounding his ego.

"Oh Rick. No, no. I-"

He waved his hand, cutting me off while smiling. "No, it's totally fine. I'm already so used and familiar with this feeling," he tilted his head to the side, as if point to the smooching couple.

Now, I really felt bad. Rick wasn't even that unlikable. He was really sweet and nice. He always offered himself to help at the farm works whenever I come across him on my way to the Supermarket. I just always politely refused and thought it was unnecessary.

"Come on, let's get you home," he stood up, offering me a hand. I didn't even notice that the fireworks had finished.

We passed by Cliff and Ann. I tried not to look at them but I could still swear I saw Ann pecking a kiss on Cliff's cheek through my peripheral view. I thought better not to show any hint of hurt for Rick's sake. I bit my bottom lip to hold all my emotions in. Just a few more steps, and I could finally release this.

We reached my farm and said our goodbyes. At the moment I heard the front door close, I jumped in to slump on my bed and cry my heart out.

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><p><em>Now who shall I offer the one-day job to?<em>

I thought to myself, staring at the spot where Duke had gone off. He just asked me to help him out at the Winery for one day. He also added that I could bring someone with me to help, he'd pay us both after the shift.

I remembered Popuri begging me to let her work part time on my farm since she needed to save up money for the shipping fee of the package she wanted to send to Kai. But seeing as I was broke as well, I had to refuse. This was the best way to help out Popuri.

But then, I thought of Cliff. This opportunity would help him pay his rent, or even better, this would get him to finally get his butt out the church's pews and finally busy himself with something. I smiled at my terrific idea and hurried to the church.

I opened the church's door excitedly, only to find myself freezing on the spot; my poor chest enduring the most painful pang.

I saw an annoying sight of an orange haired girl wrapping her hands on a flustered Cliff. I could feel my hands forming into fists involuntarily and my jaw numbing from all the clenching. I turned to my heels and walked straight to the poultry farm to see Popuri.

An overly joyful pinkhead jumped and happily accepted the offer.

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><p>I stretched out my arms, yawning the exhausting day away. After tending to my farm works, I met up with Popuri to work on our temporary job at the winery. It was fun having around a very jolly girl who always got the most interesting stories to share. It just hit me that I never really got the chance to hang out with other people my age in this town as I focused too much on Cliff.<p>

I put up my feet on the table of my living room to relax my worn-out body, my eyelids feeling heavier each second.

"Claire?" I heard someone call out outside the door, a soft knock following.

I furrowed my eyebrows at annoyance. Can't an extremely fatigued girl get some sleep in this place? I opened the door only to find myself shocked.

It was Cliff.

"Oh, it's you. Come in, Cliff," rubbing the grogginess out of my eyes. My chest still pained as I remembered the incident yesterday. We'd been distant to each other ever since the fireworks festival. And to be honest, I missed him so much. I smiled at him, "What brings you here?"

He made his way to the couch and sat down. A certain dog stuck out his head at the motion and came out slumping into Cliff's lap. Henry had always loved the man. Cliff had always gone here when I didn't get to visit him at the church. Cliff chuckled, petting Henry's head, then finally turned to look at me.

"Well, firstly. I haven't seen you for so long and I realized how much I am missing my best friend," he paused, still smiling, a light shade of red on his face. "I really do," he said once more, a hint of seriousness on his eyes this time. "Actually, I just told Ann about all our…"

My mind seemed to blur everything he was saying at the sound of my rival's name—an all too familiar pang in my chest resurfaced.

"Can't we hang out without getting Ann involved in our conversation?"

Cliff stopped, his eyes widening, obviously shocked at what I said. "What… Why? What's wrong with Ann?" His head tilted, looking as if he was expecting a reasonable answer from me.

It must've been the fatigue or the drowsiness in my body, but whatever it was. It made me lose it...

"What the hell is wrong with you Cliff? Are you really that dumb? Or are you just the most insensitive person ever?" I asked a bit harshly, my vision blurring from the forming tears.

He looked shocked and hurt. He shook his head slowly, obviously not following anything I said.

"I don't understand, Claire." I shut my eyes, letting the tears drop over my cheeks. "Claire? Oh no, Claire…" he stood up and sat right beside me. He caressed my back in a comforting manner. We stayed like that for a moment, then he began, "What is it? I… Claire, explain this to me."

I sobbed a little louder, then when I finally thought I could speak again, I cleared my throat and looked at his confused and concerned face.

"Cliff, I think... I think I might have just fallen a little for you."

I didn't know his eyes could go that wide out of shock, his mouth's slacking didn't also help in hiding his disbelief.

"I am very jealous of Ann," I continued. "I never wanted to admit it to myself. And whenever I saw you two out together, I always scolded myself from feeling like I've been stabbed repeatedly. I knew that I wasn't supposed to feel that way. But the more I avoided that feeling, the more that it felt like I was just fooling myself."

"But… but what about Rick?" his face still showing that he hadn't followed what I was explaining.

"I don't know what came over me that time. It must've been the nervousness I got from you being so close. I just said the first name that came into my mind," I explained, looking up to him. His eyes looking at mine as if he was reading the translation of what I just said to his language.

I squealed out a little when he suddenly reached out and wrapped his arms around me, my head buried down on his chest.

"Claire... Ann is just a friend," he muttered through my hair. "I was telling her how much we've been awfully close since Carter has asked you to talk to me. And the reason why she's been so warm to me is because she's been comforting me." I pulled back, looking at him, not really comprehending what he had just said.

"The truth is, I've also felt that… that feeling with you and Rick," he stopped and suddenly found my table a very pleasing thing to look at. "I… I decided to just leave you guys alone and move on, thanks to Ann, she made it a lot easier. At first it felt so hard because I didn't have anything else to do and keep my mind away from you. I do not have a job, and the only thing I do everyday is look at the church's altar until I have memorized every single detail of it. But that was the time I contemplated on what I really wanted in my life."

Silence encompassed the room. There was too much suspense. I swallowed slowly, waiting for him to say what it was, hoping it was something we both would be glad at. He looked at me warily and took my hand.

"Claire, the main reason I went to see you is… I want to say good bye."

My world felt like it stopped spinning.

"I decided to enter priesthood. I am leaving tomorrow for the seminary."

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><p>It's been a couple of months since Cliff had left—since he disappeared into my life.<p>

Pain, regret and guilt had filled me the moment he told me he was going to leave and there was no way of talking him out of it. _We had almost had it._ It was just too much for me to handle that I went to the Inn to drink all my thoughts away every night.

Luckily, Rick was there to stop me and keep me on the right track. I, then, discovered that his feelings for me hadn't left yet. I intelligently collected all the right words to tell him that my feelings for Cliff hadn't gone yet. Rick seemed to understand, and told me he was willing to wait.

Sighing heavily at the thoughts, I put down the watering can and congratulated myself for finishing the tough farm work. I opened my mailbox to check if I have gotten any letters, which was unlikely. Still it just came off as a habit to check everyday. And to my surprise, I saw an envelope stamped and addressed from a place I wasn't familiar of.

I walked inside my house and tore off the envelope. I slouched down on my couch and read the letter.

_Dearest Claire,_

_I must've really hurt you for keeping you mad for two months. I miss you, Claire. I know I never really had the chance to tell you, but you are my most treasured friend. Without you and Carter, I wouldn't have known what I really wanted. I'd be too deaf to hear the Goddess' calling, and I wouldn't be near as happy as I am now. If you could at least forgive me, I'd be a lot happier._

_Since I've gotten you to hear me out via this letter, I might as well add how it is here in the seminary._

_There are only twelve students in my batch, and we all share a big room. I know, we're too few. Priesthood isn't the biggest craze of an occupation after all. It kind of felt like I was back at the orphanage, just this time, with better people. We had these strange rules that we are ought to live by as long as we're staying in the seminary and serving the Goddess. Father said that the rules would be completed more naturally after some time. Some were really interesting like how we shouldn't slouch whenever we eat, otherwise we'd get hit by a stick by Father Perry. It's said to be a way to respect the blessing of the Goddess. Another is that we should pray and talk to Her for a solid two hours every single day. You must be thinking how boring that is. Trust me, at first I also saw it as more of like a chore. But then I thought, if we could talk to a friend on the phone for hours, then how come couldn't we talk to Her just as long?_

_You must think that since we all plan to be priests here, all our conducts and behavior are exceptionally good. I feel like laughing right now for even writing that. We are not. One of my classmates was caught with a Playboy magazine in the public washroom at two in the morning. Another was sent at the seminary's counselor just because he pricked one of our boring professor's behind by the tip of a compass. If I told you about the misbehavior of each of us, I'd get your mind pretty corrupted. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. _

_We aren't babied and spoonfed here as well, just in case you're wondering. Each of us has a schedule for household chores. I'd get to wash the dishes during Tuesdays and Fridays with a partner named Rock. What I find really funny about this is every time I ask Rock to help me with the dishes, he would suddenly get a stomachache. Of course, I always went to get him a medicine just so to see if he wasn't fooling. But just when I get back to the kitchen to hand it to him, I'd see him chatting and laughing with my other classmates outside as if he had absolutely nothing to do. Well, it's fine how the boy is abusing my kindness too much. I consider it more of a training of patience for the people like this that I would encounter in the future._

_This place has helped me come out of my shell. I got to talk more now without stuttering. I participate at sports during recreations, and take part at house jams with the boys. Of course, by jams I meant a classical guitar and a bunch of old classic song hit booklets. Not that it matters, I have fun. Just then have I realized that this place, the seminary, is my comfort zone, the place where I really belong._

_Anyway, I hope I didn't bore you with that. Claire, I am really sorry. I know for someone as kind and sweet as you, you'd understand. Please forgive me. I'd like to hear how you're doing and how the farm life is coming along. Maybe you could also tell me how your dog, Henry, is doing. I miss him._

_Yours,_

_Cliff_


End file.
